Hiring Guide

Decide Who Will Help Make This Decision

The best hiring outcomes generally involve selection by a group of people. The best people to involve are those whose work will be most directly impacted by the position. We recommend the following: 2 levels of management above this position, two peers, one direct report and one HR person. This group becomes your “position experts.”

Define/Review the Job Description and Essential Competencies
(this should be updated annually)

Define organizational needs from this position in the following areas:

Source Candidates

Sourcing is dependent upon industry, type of position, availability of candidates and the opportunity that is being presented.

Screen Resumes to Insure Minimum Qualifications Are Met

Screening is best done with a list of absolute requirements and the priorities for the position. This is not a place to spend a lot of time or put a tremendous amount of faith in the information that is provided. Studies have clearly shown that over fifty percent of resumes presented today have some false information.
Once the resumes are sorted down to a reasonable number, a phone screen is done to determine who will proceed in the process. Phone screens are best done with an interview rating form listing critical areas and providing a place to rate the candidate responses.

Conduct Initial Applicant In-Person Screening

Have the candidate complete your application form
Complete a brief screening Interview to ensure the person meets minimum requirements
Explain pre-employment testing, both the process and purpose

Candidate Completes On-line Assessments

Review the screening and selection results before doing further interviewing. Use the results to individualize your questions.

Supervisor In-Depth Interview

The person the position reports to conducts this interview. We can help you develop an in-depth interview that accomplishes five things:

Evaluate the ability to perform the job

Evaluate the candidate’s fit for the job and company

Provide a realistic job preview (at the end of the interview)

Sell the job

Complete the Selection Assessment Profile

Conduct Reference Checks

Successful hiring requires comprehensive background and/or reference checking. Research tells us that the majority of people applying for jobs are willing to falsify their resumes and applications if they feel it will help them get the job. We recommend using a script and taking notes during this conversation. Positive Options can recommend which checks should be conducted for your position, and if your company does not have a background service, we can recommend a company.

Panel Interview

Panel interviews are essential for comprehensive assessment and retention. Most jobs above entry level require the new employee to establish effective working relationships with several key people. Each of these people has different needs in terms of how the position affects their workflow. As a result they have different priorities and expectations for the person in the position. Unless these differences are taken into account in the hiring process there is a good chance the wrong person will be hired for the job. In addition, the new hire will not get the support they need when they arrive and the performance of people around them may diminish.
Usually, the panel is made up of the “position experts” identified in Step One. The questions used by the panel are developed from the competencies and performance skills identified in Step Two. Panel members have a strong stake in this position, so they are very invested in a good hiring decision.
If appropriate, have the candidate do one of the following toward the end of the interview:
Give a brief oral presentation
Address a common management situation

Rank Candidates by Skill and Fit

At the conclusion of the panel interview, each person who has participated in the hiring decision rates each candidate, using a Candidate Scorecard. When all of the interviewing is complete, this group meets with the hiring manager and shares their ratings and recommendations. Most of the time there is considerable agreement about candidate ranking.

Offer the Position to the Top Candidate

Once the best candidate has been identified, a conditional job offer can be made. The offer is conditional if there are further background checks to run that require a date of birth or if there is a required medical exam. Get agreement with the candidate on expectations, standards and accountability processes. Also, agree on compensation and benefits and agree on the start date. Put all of this in writing in the Offer Letter.

Conduct Medical/Drug Screens and Background Checks (as needed)

The candidate can be considered to have regular employment status when the medical and background check requirements are satisfied.

Begin Onboarding

A well-developed, thorough onboarding process is essential to retain employees. The process is typically staged to take place over a three to six month period of time. Information should be staged and presented when the new employee has the best chance of benefiting from and retaining it.